Apple wins iPods.com domain

Apple has won a victory over the owner of the iPods.com domain name. As we reported two months ago, Apple filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to have the iPods.com domain name transferred from its current owner to its "rightful owner" -- Apple.

Rather than spend a lot of money to purchase the domain name from the existing owner, Apple used the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). The UDRP allows a complainant to request a domain transfer when a domain name is identical or "confusingly similar" to a trademark that they own. In particular, if the respondent to the complaint has no "legitimate interests in respect of the domain name" and the domain name is being "used in bad faith," the complainant (Apple) can request a transfer of the domain name to its rightful owner.

This process can be completed for just a few thousand dollars. In the past, Apple has paid seven-digit amounts for domain names, including iPhone.com and iCloud.com.